Improvement in mail-bags



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES H WEAVER AND DE WITT W. JUDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification Aforming part of Letters Patent No. 210,585, dated December 3, 1878; application led November 25, 1878.

To all whom it may concer/n.

Be it known that we, JAMES H. WEAVER and DE WITT W. JUDSON, both of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification:

Figure lis a side view of a mail-bag embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a section in the plane of the line @c x,- Fig. 3, a perspective, and Fig. 4 a section, of the lock cap or casein the plane of the line y y.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the body of the bag or sack, the upper part of which, to which o ur invention alone relates, consisting, by preference, of two pieces of leather, a and a', one somewhat narrower than the other, and lapped along its lateral edges by the wider part, to which it is there strongly fastened, as is clearly represented in Fig. 3.

By this means a comparatively narrow opening, extending across the upper end of the sack, is formed, and constitutes its mouth. We do not intend, however, to restrict ourselves to this manner of constructing the body of the sack, which, being commonly made of leather or ilexible or pliant material, may be drawn together with facility at its mouth or open end.

B B are hooks or catches, rmly secured to one side of the bag, near its upper end, the hooked ends being uppermost and extending outwardly. C is a iiap or tongue extending upward from that side ofthe bag to which the hooks B B are not applied. This iiap or tongue, at its base or lowest part, is as broad, or nearly as broad, as the bag when the latter is ilattened or its sides are drawn together atl the mouth. It may in practice be continuous with that side of the bag from which it extends, or of which it forms a part, as indicated in the drawing. B' Bl are eyes or slots in the lap or v tongue C. These eyes or slots are adapted and arranged to receive the hooked ends of the hooks or catches B B when the flap or tongue C is folded over the mouth of the bag, as represented by the full lines in Fig. 2 and by the broken lines in Figs. l and 3.

We deem it preferable, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned, to make the flap or tongue C tapering, or to bevel its corners, as shown.

D is a broad flap attached to that side of the bag to which the hooks or catches B B are applied. The lower end of the flap D is arranged across the bag in a line a little way below the hooks or catches B B, and is there tightly fastened to the bag. It is also stitched alongits sides to thebag, thus forming a pocket about the hooks or catches B B, and into which the flap or tongue C may be thrust when applied to the said hooks, the tapering corners of the tongue C permitting it to be arranged easily in the pocket referred to. The loose or free part of the flap D is sufficiently long to fold over the mouth of the bag, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2. E E are hasps applied to the free or upper end of the iiap D. F is a lock applied to that side of the bag over or against which the ilap D is to be folded, and any well-known or suitable lock may be em ployed for keeping the iiap D closed.

IVe deem it preferable, in connection with the lock, to employ the yielding clasps b b for receiving the facing-slip or statement furnished by the transmitting-cnice, and also to employ means for holding the card or slide-tag containing the name of the route or receivingoffice. For the latter purpose a plate, either attached to, arranged near, or forming a part of, the lock, and provided with the parallel leaves or lips c c, will be suitable. The upper or free end of the flap D may be cut away, as shown at d, to allow the statement from the transmitting-office to be stamped and to be removed with facility by the proper officer, and to render the stamping visible. This slip c, by being part-ly covered by the liap D, is, to a great extent, prevented from being accidentally removed. We do not intend, however, to be restricted to the means employed for holding the slips referred to, as the chief features of our invention relate to the means employed to close the mouth of the sack.

It will be perceived from the foregoing description, and from reference to the drawing, that the mouth of the bag is tightly and seA curely closed by means of the reversely-foldL ing iiaps, one folded over the other, and the outer ilap being locked down to the side of the bag. Unlawful manipulation of the contents of the bag is as effectually prevented as heretofore, While the bag may be opened, closed, and locked With greater facility.

-For the purpose of transporting papers and third-class matter, the bag will be suciently secure even if the tongue or iap C be employed independently of the pocket and of the hooks or catches B B, though We deem these parts preferable for all purposes, as they do not materially increase either the expense or Weightof the bag, and do not greatly hinder the operation of looking and unlocking' it.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a mail-bag provided with a lock on one side and With the hooks or fastening B B on the other, of the tongue or ila-p C, lnwing therein eyes to receive the said hooks, and of the Hap D7 provided with one or more hasps, all arranged substantially as specied, with relation to each other, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a inail-bag, of the external flap I), having therein the ingernotch d and the clasps b b, the latter heilig arranged substantially as specified,witl1 relation to the said flap, for the purposes set forth.

3. A lock containing as features of its construction the clasps I; b and the elasping-lips c c, the former clasps for containing or holding the facing-slip, and the latter clasps or lips for holding the slide-tag, in combination with a mail-bag, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JAMES n. WEAVER. DE WITT W. JUDsoN.

Witnesses:

F. F. WARNER, Crus. H. Sor-IOFF. 

